Black Bess; or, the Knight of the Road — page 371: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

AD es NS Dette Sls Ti a OE NAAT LS Dh slimes obs 2 $end t Pash oh J ee | 9h | é a AF Fi Or. : eal , " 5 : ' ns a vt * = “s “ - Ms SP xs Se nae - aos STS CN 8 S Ne - eo ae - af? + oe. en cover her. a < me : x : pe a ves an a, dl Kt ty. } . g: pists ~ “4 * ° ty ’ s ser ir. ar * * ~ ~~ + +. - “rx ' : -_ : 7 zz the vicinity, and ‘therefore he indulged in the hope that + making the utmost exertions he should be able to dis- But when he had arrived at this decision, he. quickly became sensible that he should have some little difficulty in carrying it out. - The two officers who now occupied the adjoining room were of 9 very different type to those who had just left. Tom nad had ample opportunity to look closely inte their countenances. : He was a little bit of a physiognomist, and the result of his examination was, that he felt they would by no means be easily deceived. There was also @ special and particular watchfulness about them, and he felt assured thatif any slight noise of a suspicious character did strike upon their ears, they would not allow themselves any rest until they had used their best efforts to discover the origin of it. Of course this alertness was no doubt mainly owing to the fact that they had only just entered upon their new duties, and there was a probability that after a tine much of their vigilance would wear off. But then Tom King could not afford to wait for this. It was necessary that he should depart at onco. It therefore became a most anxious consideration for him as to whether he should be able to quit his place of concealment, cross the room, pass out at the door, and finally leave the premises without the watchers being aware of it. Such a feat seemed like an impossibility. But Tom King had great faith in his own powers, and therefore made no scruple of attempting to carry out his design. - Just, however, as he was about to quit his place of concealment, some words uttered by the police officers caused him to pause. er ER CHAPTER MXXXI, EVENTS AT THE INN CONTINUE TO INCREASE IN INTEREST, “T say, Knight.” ‘* What now ?” “T have just been thinking that we ought act te have been so ready in sitting down like this.” “So have I.” *Confound it! I wish we had only thought of it a fow minutes ago—now it’s too late.” ‘“« W hat’s too late ?” “Why, what we 2ght to have done upon entering upon this duty was tu save gone all over the premises in every part, leaving no place unexamined, taking Clarke and those other two fools with us, so that we should have known what condition the place was in when we look to it. ** We most certainly ought,” assented Knight. .“‘ As you say, truly, it is now too late, for they are all three a goodish way off by this time.” “JT can’t think how I could have been so ingautious—so forgetful,” said Knight, in a voice which showed tho ex- tent of his vexation. **T can account for it, I think,” said his comrade. “ How so?” “Why, having to wait so long at the door was enougs to drive thoughts out of anybody’s head, and standin in the rain, too, all the while, after such a long ride; then, when we got in here, this fire looked so comfortable that I could think of nothing but enjoying it.” “That was it, no doubt; still, we ‘leserve to anfier for our stupidity.” “T don’t think it quite so serious.” “T do, though.” ; ‘Suppose now, as our clothes have got tclerma ly dry by this time, that we set out without any more regrets and delays, and examine the place ourselves ?” “* What, alone ?” ‘Yes, there is no one to go with us,andI think we had better do it thus than leave it undone altogether.” * Yes, so dol.” “Come on, then, at once—there is nothing iike time present.” . “Rezbt, But what cowardly fellows they must have been to be afraid of going down in the cellar for a drop of s&s PRE KNIGHT OF THE ROAD. 1743 an eee ere own nae something good! Do you thiak we shall be so squeamish, eh, old boy 2” | “ Not exactly.” “I think not. Now come on !” “Nay, I have a fresh thought,” “What is it ?”’ “Sit down a moment, and I will tell you. A few minutes one way or the other cannot make much difference, bi)w, and the result may be important.” ‘What do youmeané Why don’t you come to the point at oace ?” . “1 will, never fear. First there are two dead bodies in the houss, are there not ?” ‘“t Clarke said so.” “One a traveller, and the other a hunchback lad that nobody knows anything about.” Yes,” “Well, we must have a look at them first; and now listen: These people have been carrying on their game for some time, have they not ?” ‘No doubt of it.” “ Then thoir spoil must be immense.” ‘Not #9 much; Idon’t think Clarke found s0 very much value upon the premises considering.” ‘* Nor do I, and that’s what I have been thinking about. I feol pretty sure that there must be a great deal of swag hidden somewhere in this placo,” ‘‘ What makes you think so ?” eee the fact of Clarke having been able to find so ittle.” ‘‘ And @ good reason too.” “Then my proposition is, that we look most carefully around, and what we find belongs to ourselves—no one will | know anything about that.” “ Certainly not.” ‘“‘T have a presentiment that this will turn out a capital night’s work for us; and what is more, the occupation will serve to make the time pass quicker.” ‘Tt will, and we have searched houses before to-day.” * Rather.” “And you understand share and share alike is the understanding 2?” * Of course !” ‘Then that being settled, we will set about the business at once.” The sound which now reached Tom King’s ears con- vinced him that the officers were about to sally forth upon their questionable errand. Our friends’ position was now most ticklish. Very little penetration or attention would have quickly convinced anyone that these two men were sharp and astute, and not by any means to be thought of at the same time as Moggs and Joel. What Tom was anxious to know was whether they would commence their search in that outer room. Nothing was more likely, and if so, nothing could pre- ~ vent his discovery. That he should be a match for these two men our old friend did not doubt, but yet he might sustain such an injury as would disable him. He was therefore desirous of avoiding a contest, if such a thing was possible. — Another moment would decide the matter. Like prudent men, the two police officers bed carefully examined their weapons, so as to bo in readiness ip case of any emergency. This done, they took up the lantern which the others had left behind, and sallied forth. When about half-way across the outer zoom they paused. | Knight lifted the lantern above L’s head and glanced around bim, ‘There seems nothing here,” he said, after a short ause. ee Nothing, put we will look mors elcsely upon our return. It is no good beginning te do a thing in the middle.” ‘* None at all.” ‘Come on, then.” ‘But we have not settled abous where wa shall com- mence the search.” “> What do you say ?” “Qh, I don’t mind! It will come to muck the some thing, I suppose, whether we begin at the top of the | E@MMIC OOOKSAGC)